Juventus returned to winning ways in Serie A on Sunday evening with a 2-0 victory at Lecce, thanks to first-half goals from Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz at the Via del Mare. It was a much-needed win for Spalletti’s side, who move up to seventh on 14 points after the defeat to Lazio and the draw with Rennes. Here’s how every Juventus player rated.
Juve were in control for the opening half-hour, dominating possession and patiently building their attacks against a compact Lecce side. McKennie broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark, redirecting Douglas Luiz’s free kick over the top of the Lecce defence for his first Serie A goal of the season and his first for Juve in all competitions since April, ending a 13-game drought. Douglas Luiz then doubled the lead just before the break, converting a pass from Gatti to complete a standout first half. The second half was less convincing, as Lecce took the initiative and outshot Juve 12-4 after the break, though Vicario was never seriously tested and the clean sheet was preserved. It was far from a vintage display from a short-handed squad, but after Lazio and Rennes, Spalletti will take the three points.
Juventus
Vicario: Kept a clean sheet without being forced into any truly difficult saves, though his distribution was sometimes shaky as Lecce pressed. 6.5/10
Gatti: Provided the pass for Douglas Luiz’s goal and was solid at the heart of the back three as Juve defended their lead. 6.5/10
Bremer: Led the defence well as Lecce piled on the second-half pressure, even if he was rarely troubled by clear chances. 6.5/10
Lucumì: A composed performance in a back three that held firm despite Lecce’s second-half dominance. 6.5/10
Kalulu: Reliable down the right and part of a defensive effort that kept Lecce from creating anything clear-cut. 6.0/10
⭐Douglas Luiz: Easily the standout performer, providing the free kick for McKennie’s opener and scoring himself just before the break, in a complete display from midfield. 8.5/10
Koopmeiners: Did the simple things well in midfield as Juve controlled the first half, but faded as Lecce took over after the break. 6.0/10
Cambiaso: Offered an outlet on the left but wasn’t influential enough to avoid being replaced by Cabal after 68 minutes. 6.0/10
⭐McKennie: Ended his scoring drought with an alert finish from a free kick, giving Juve the early lead and a platform for the win. 7.5/10
Woltemade: Chipped in with a vital block as Lecce began to attack in the second half, although he had just one shot in a quiet attacking display. 6.0/10
Kolo Muani: Failed to find the target with his best chance of the first half and was replaced by Boga on 68 minutes. 5.5/10
Spalletti: Got the response he needed after a tough week, with an effective first half and a clean sheet, though the performance after the break will leave him with plenty to work on. 6.5/10
Substitutions
Cabal: Came on for Cambiaso and helped Juve see out the game as Lecce pressed. 6.0/10
Boga: Introduced for Kolo Muani as Spalletti sought fresh legs, but made little impact. 5.5/10
Sarr: Brought on for Douglas Luiz with seven minutes to play to help Juve see out the win. 6.0/10
Alajbegović: N/A
